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Monday, June 28, 2010

Some of the direct QSL cards I sent for have started to arrive in recent days. Today I received a card from K2EK, William in Florida. I also got a card from VK3MO, Ian in Australia. That is my first confirmed Australia contact, so I was grateful to receive it. Of course, I was delighted to make the contact in the first place. Ian Williams is a very famous ham radio operator, who works with a 20-element (four stacked five-elements) beam on 20 metres and can regularly be heard chatting with stations in Ireland, the UK and Europe at night time. It is usually early morning for Ian and he likes to work a bit of radio before heading to work.

I also got a card today from JA7DLE and that is my first confirmed contact into Japan - so thanks indeed for the prompt reply Sano san.

I had been away in Lanzarote for a few days at the end of last week and when I came back I was happy to have received QSL cards from both YI9PSE and VO1MCE. YI9PSE, as a lot of you will know, was a DXpedition to Iraq about a month or two back and I worked them on seven different band slots. Thanks a lot guys - and it's a lovely card. VO1MCE is the callsign of the Irish Loop Amateur Radio Club which operates from the Myrick Wireless Interpretation Center in Newfoundland. That is the location of one of the early Marconi wireless stations - this one opened in November 1904 at Cape Race. Here is some detail from their QRZ.com page:

Because of its location and powerful wireless station, Cape Race Radio could reach far into the Atlantic. It is probably most famous for its role in the loss of the Titanic and the part it played in handling the distress traffic (CQD & SOS) and relaying the information via "landline" and cable to the rest of the world. The call sign of the station from 1904 to 1912 was MCE. After the Titanic disaster, Cape Race became VCE, the call that it held until l967 - when the station was decommissioned by the Canadian Government. Cape Race was the first point of contact with ships coming to North America, and the last point of contact for ships going to Europe. It also was a telegraph station, and still is a Light Station and Fog Alarm Station.

I reckon at this stage I have about 23 countries confirmed by QSL card. I know it doesn't sound like much, but I only recently started sending cards via the bureau and direct so I wasn't expecting much up to now. I will keep you posted as more come in.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Last night I used my computer to decode some PSK31 on 20 metres having watched the above video by Randy K7AGE. It was the first time I had successfully received a digital mode from the home QTH. And I was instantly amazed. Now I have to figure out how to interface by Yaesu FT-1000MP with the computer so that I can start sending and receiving PSK31 and RTTY.

Watch the above video for instructions on how to "see" what is being sent on PSK. You will be fascinated.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

The creators of Ham-Mag, an e-magazine aimed at amateur radio enthusiasts, have ceased production of the publication after a year and a half due to lack of commercial backing for the project.

The publication was launched in January 2009 and while it was initially free, a charge was later required to download it. All issues of the magazine from January 2009 to May 2010 are now available to download for free from the website http://www.ham-mag.com/

I have already found some interesting articles in this little treasure trove, including one about antennas for operators in limited space and a small 50 Mhz yagi. But there's much more in each of these colourful PDF productions.

Monday, June 7, 2010

It was a busy week for E4X, the DXpedition to Palestine. They had a total of over 80,000 QSOs on the bands during the week. They paid strong attention to 6 metres, which was great, although their signal teased me all week as it came in and out. I eventually worked them on CW on Sunday, the last day of their QRV. I worked them on seven other band slots over the course of the week, but it was hard work I can tell you. The QRM was massive and the pile-ups were sustained. Europe in particular was calling like no tomorrow. The photo shows the band slots I worked them on. Mostly CW as you can see - the friendly mode of the small station!!

Today I worked the longest callsign on CW I have encountered so far. I worked EA3/HB9CYF/P on 12 metres. Needed him to give it a few times to get the whole thing but I got there in the end! Of course the pedantic among you will point out that he didn't need to send the /P because he already indicated he was portable with the EA3 prefix.

I have also just worked EX8MLE in Kyrgyzstan on 12 metres CW also. Thanks for new band!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Last night the annual general meeting of the Dundalk Amateur Radio Society (EI7DAR) was held in the clubroom in Dundalk. The club has bestowed on me the honour of being its Public Relations Officer (PRO). Thanks indeed - it's a great honour and I hope i can fulfil the role with enthusiasm and zest.

Thos Caffrey EI2JD was returned as Chairman. The Treasurer is Jim 2I0SBI and the Secretary for the forthcoming year will be Aidan EI7JC.

Above is a photo taken immediately after the meeting concluded. I will endeavour to give all the names and callsigns here!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

I have to say that since it started opening in EI about two weeks back, 6 metres has been nothing if unpredictable. Yes, that's me stating the obvious!! I had been told a lot about the 50 Mhz band but had no experience of even listening to it. It was a brand new experience for me over the last fortnight. And it has been fascinating.

The first opening gave me contacts on CW into places like Poland, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia and Austria, but as time has gone on there have been some more exotic contacts.

Only a couple of days ago, using my Yaesu FT-897 with 100 watts into a 6m dipole (pictured above), I made contact with HI3TEJ in Dominican Republic and NP3CW in Puerto Rico, both on SSB. So I was impressed. However, there are down sides too. Yesterday (Tuesday) I felt sure that I would get E4X, the Palestine DXPedition, into the log as they were getting strong on both CW and SSB at various times. But nada. Still, I will keep trying until they finish on Sunday next, June 6th.

My country tally so far on this first season on 50 Mhz currently stands at 34. Here is my tally on the 6 metre marathon: